Dynamic environments

[Atlas_CinVin]

I know it is not a new idea and that some games already have it but I always thought that things like rain and snow, night and day are more important then just added aesthetics. I feel that weather not only gives a sense of the passage of time, but helps to immerse you into the game. Personally I would love to reach the neighboring city after a long rainy night, walk into a tavern then come out to a bright new day. That’s just my opinion and hope to see if anyone else feels the same.

 

[Aries]

I agree completely, night and day alone add so much more to a game. Seasonal changes
I think are a great idea and add immensely to the games mood.

 

[frostydf2]

I also agree with what was said. In WoW there was night & day. Dusk & dawn. No weather effects though. What would be really neat is to possibly enhance/reduce skills and attributes based on the weather. A rogue could stealth at night better obviously, so why not let him? A wizard should be able to conjure fire spells more easily in the blazing sun.

I think it should be more then just weather pattering down on the ground, but actually effect how the game is played.

 

[larkonits]

Originally posted by frostydf2@Mar 2 2006, 05:35 AM
What would be really neat is to possibly enhance/reduce skills and attributes based on the weather. A rogue could stealth at night better obviously, so why not let him? A wizard should be able to conjure fire spells more easily in the blazing sun.

I think it should be more then just weather pattering down on the ground, but actually effect how the game is played.

That would be amazing if a game actually came out with that. i love that idea. during rainy times your fire spells are slightly less effective but your ice and waterish spells are increased a tiny bit in effectivness. that would make for a very indept game and make the game soo much different and make you think more about what spells/attacks to use during the weather. thats a great idea thou frostydf2.

as for weather... DAoC had weather effects and it made the game more interesting. put you more into the game.

 

[BrianE]

Dragonrealms has a bit of that. In summer it is easier to put more mana into your fire spells, and in winter it is easier to put more mana in your water realm spells.

Moon Mages have spells and mana tied to the three moons and the constellations. The moons rise and fall and go through phases, and the constellations change with the season. cloudy skies hinder their attempts to view the heavens for predictions.

If you want to see some of the creativity the simu folks have, I recommend:
Category:Magic - elanthipedia

My weather concerns with a graphical game is to what extent it effects game performance. If someone has a low level system is it going to crash eveytime the weather isn't clear skies?

 

[frostydf2]

Originally posted by Brian@Mar 3 2006, 01:32 AM
Dragonrealms has a bit of that. In summer it is easier to put more mana into your fire spells, and in winter it is easier to put more mana in your water realm spells.

Moon Mages have spells and mana tied to the three moons and the constellations. The moons rise and fall and go through phases, and the constellations change with the season. cloudy skies hinder their attempts to view the heavens for predictions.

If you want to see some of the creativity the simu folks have, I recommend:
Category:Magic - elanthipedia

My weather concerns with a graphical game is to what extent it effects game performance. If someone has a low level system is it going to crash eveytime the weather isn't clear skies?

Thats why you don't make a significant difference. Just a quick bonus, like +1. Nothing where you're tottally screwed if its raining, and you're a fire wizard. Just small things that enhance your character, but have multiple variables so things could actually in the end zero out or come close to that.

 

[larkonits]

yeah just a slight change in your effectivness would be good. If it had a dramatic change in your spells and such im not too sure if i would want to play a casting class, especially one that had just a primary list like fire.

it would be like this " Sorry guys, I cant do this quest with you yet, its raining and you know how my fire spells suck when its raining."

 

[Aries]

Originally posted by larkonits@Mar 3 2006, 02:09 PM
it would be like this " Sorry guys, I cant do this quest with you yet, its raining and you know how my fire spells suck when its raining."

Personally I think that would be awsome

 

[Valo]

The problem with night and day is that people want to experience all types of weather. And if you work all day you will never get to experience that early morning sunrise or the middle of the night hunting. Sure you could stay up all night on a weeknd but that would screw up your sleeping pattern pritty bad. We are not all students

I do like the idea of rain/snow ect. maybe if it did snow, the ground would actually get covered in snow rather than an atmospheric animation and nothing on the ground.
If it rains then I would want the ground to look wet. With all the technology out now I dont think that is so much to ask.

 

[Chaotic]

I like this weather idea. Having all four seasons implemented would be awesome.

 

[frostydf2]

Originally posted by Valo@Mar 3 2006, 08:47 PM
The problem with night and day is that people want to experience all types of weather. And if you work all day you will never get to experience that early morning sunrise or the middle of the night hunting. Sure you could stay up all night on a weeknd but that would screw up your sleeping pattern pritty bad. We are not all students

I do like the idea of rain/snow ect. maybe if it did snow, the ground would actually get covered in snow rather than an atmospheric animation and nothing on the ground.
If it rains then I would want the ground to look wet. With all the technology out now I dont think that is so much to ask.

That would be beyond amazing if they could actually implement a system where if it was raining puddles formed, or if it was snowing there were drifts that came about. I really can't even imagine how immerisve that would be.

Now about the day/night idea, I love day and night, but I agree. 12 hours day, 12 hours night sucks! Maybe a 4 hour cycle so everyone can be in a difference.

 

[Aries]

Originally posted by frostydf2@Mar 3 2006, 09:03 PM
Maybe a 4 hour cycle so everyone can be in a difference.

They would obviously have to make it in a 4 or so hour cycle. Not only would the
people who are on day shifts have to play in darkness because they are at work during
the "day" cycle, but the people on night shifts would play only when its day out. Neither
getting the full effect of the system.

 

[Nocturnal]

I didn't read all the replies, but night and day are fine. I just hope I can see well at night. For any who have played DAoC... you curse every time the sun goes down (even with the shitty torch). I like how WoW did it, each zone had it's own kind of theme. The transition from one zone to the next was astounding. Especially areas like Duskwood or Ashenvale forest.

 

[larkonits]

Originally posted by Nocturnal@Mar 3 2006, 10:08 PM
I didn't read all the replies, but night and day are fine. I just hope I can see well at night. For any who have played DAoC... you curse every time the sun goes down (even with the shitty torch). I like how WoW did it, each zone had it's own kind of theme. The transition from one zone to the next was astounding. Especially areas like Duskwood or Ashenvale forest.

yea, when it turned night on DAoC you would get soo much aggro just cause you didnt see the mob till you were almost on top of it. that sucked and if you were questing and looking for a certain mob to kill them clicking around to find the mob sucked also since they didnt have a mouseover feature.

 

[BrianE]

I remember when I first played EQ when it came out, it got dark at night. I'd log out sometimes because I couldn't find my way back to town.

 

[larkonits]

Originally posted by Brian@Mar 4 2006, 04:53 AM
I remember when I first played EQ when it came out, it got dark at night. I'd log out sometimes because I couldn't find my way back to town.

yeah, that would suck. dynamic environments are great but if you cant see squat at night then that tends to get annoying after a while

 

[frostydf2]

Originally posted by larkonits+Mar 4 2006, 11:43 AM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (larkonits @ Mar 4 2006, 11:43 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-Brian@Mar 4 2006, 04:53 AM
I remember when I first played EQ when it came out, it got dark at night. I'd log out sometimes because I couldn't find my way back to town.

yeah, that would suck. dynamic environments are great but if you cant see squat at night then that tends to get annoying after a while [/b][/quote]
I agree as well. Having a pitch black night is horrible! I belive World of Warcraft impelemented the day/night system very well except for the 24 hour time. Night looked fantastic, where you could look up, and gaze at the stars that almost looked real. Day was just, day... Can't really improve a sun, and clear skies too much. Thats why Simutronics should try there hardest to implement an actual weather system that is tottally random, effects gameplay slightly, and has on-going effects. i.e. puddles, snow banks, dirt flying from wind, scorched plants.

 

[Rics]

Sadly, I believe it was just confirmed that there isn't much in the way of a weather system. I'm not sure which GM said it, but it's somewhere on these forums. They said there will be areas of different weather conditions, but not much will change. I guess it was due to the world being "broken" and the ecosystem not working quite like it used to.

 

[Karetyr]

Originally posted by frostydf2+Mar 4 2006, 12:59 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (frostydf2 @ Mar 4 2006, 12:59 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'>

Originally posted by larkonits@Mar 4 2006, 11:43 AM
<!--QuoteBegin-Brian

@Mar 4 2006, 04:53 AM
I remember when I first played EQ when it came out, it got dark at night. I'd log out sometimes because I couldn't find my way back to town.

yeah, that would suck. dynamic environments are great but if you cant see squat at night then that tends to get annoying after a while

I agree as well. Having a pitch black night is horrible! I belive World of Warcraft impelemented the day/night system very well except for the 24 hour time. Night looked fantastic, where you could look up, and gaze at the stars that almost looked real. Day was just, day... Can't really improve a sun, and clear skies too much. Thats why Simutronics should try there hardest to implement an actual weather system that is tottally random, effects gameplay slightly, and has on-going effects. i.e. puddles, snow banks, dirt flying from wind, scorched plants. [/b][/quote]
Yeah....in EQ2 right now, I tend to quit running quests or hunting at "night" because I can't see anything.

 

[Sisca]

Originally posted by Valo@Mar 3 2006, 08:47 PM
I do like the idea of rain/snow ect. maybe if it did snow, the ground would actually get covered in snow rather than an atmospheric animation and nothing on the ground.
If it rains then I would want the ground to look wet. With all the technology out now I dont think that is so much to ask.

Care to bet?

At least if you want it to look realistic it's going to take a powerful system on your end. Water is one of the toughest effects to do and have it "feel" right. You wouldn't believe the amount of math that the system has to do to get the ripple and reflections right. If you add moving water to that it scales up exponentially.

Now if you want to set the Dell Renegade as your low end system we could probably come up with some amazing effects. The problem is who's gonna loan me the $6000 or so to buy one so I can continue to build the world .